Multi-way convalescent pillow



Feb. 4, 1964 -r. E. WATSON MULTI-WAY CONVALESCENT PILLOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1961 INVENTOR. TALMAGE. E. WA-rsoN ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1964 'r. E. WATSON MULTI-WAY CONVALESCENT PILLOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1961 INVENTOR.

TALMAGE E. WAT$QN ATTORN EYS United States This application relates to a multi-way convalescent pillow, and is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 47,194, filed August 3, 1960, now abandoned.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multiway convalescent pillow which is adapted for supporting a patient in either a reclining or a reposing position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-way convalescent pillow which lends itself for ready use with bedridden patients for supporting the patient while confined to bed in either a reclining or reposing position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-way convalescent pillow which is capable of supporting a patient in different reclining positions or in reposing position while confined to bed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the pillow according to the present invention in a position for supporting the body of a patient in a reclining position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the pillow of FIG- URE 1 in position for supporting the body of a patient in a reposing position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another form of the pillow according to the present invention in a position for supporting the body of a patient in a reclining position at a particular angle.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view as viewed from the right-hand side of FIGURE 6, and

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the pillow of FIGURE 7, but in a position for supporting the body of a patient in a reclining position at a different angle to that of FIGURE 7.

Referring to FIGURES l to 5 of the drawings, the pillow according to the present invention is shown as a unitary construction and comprised of a pair of identical open frames, each of the frames being designated generally by the numeral 10. Since the open frames are identical in structure, only one will be described in detail. Each open frame 10 is of right-angled triangle configuration, and consists of a short leg 11, a long leg 12, and a hypotenuse leg 13.

The frames 10 are arranged in lateral-spaced relation so that the short legs 11, the long legs 12, and the hypotenuse legs 13 are in alignment with each other, and bracing extends between the short and long legs 11 and 12 and is attached thereto for holding the frames 10 in lateralspaced relation. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the bracing comprises a first pair of crossbars 14 which extend between and are attached to the long legs 12, and a second pair of crossbars 15 which extend between and are attached to the short legs 11.

An apron 16 in the form of a sheet of thick canvas extends between and covers the entire length of the hypotenuse legs and is held in place by being wrapped around the hypotenuse leg 13 and stitched back upon itself, as at 17 in FIGURE 5.

Each of the short legs 11 of the open frames 10 has an atent ice extension 18 which projects longitudinally therefrom. An arm rest 25 is provided on each of the extensions 18, each of the rests being of identical construction and comprising an inverted U-shaped member 26 which has the free ends of its legs 27 secured to the adjacent extension and which has a bight 28 spaced above and parallel to the adjacent extension.

On one of the parts of the extensions 18 between the legs 27 of the U-shaped member 26 there is a stop 23', the stop being adjacent to and spaced from a bend connection 18a which secures the forward leg 27 of the U- shaped member 26 to the adjacent extension 18. On the other of the parts of the extensions 18 between the legs 27 of the U-shaped member 26 there is a male fastener 23, the fastener being adjacent to and spaced from a like bend connection 18a which secures the forward leg 27 of the U-shaped member 25 to the adjacent extension 18. The fastener 23 also serves as a stop.

Strap means extends between and is supported upon the arm rests 25 and the extensions 18. Specifically, this strap means comprises a strap 28, FIGURES l and 4, which has an end portion 21 wound about one of the bend connections 18a and the part of the extension 18 forwardly of the strap 23 and is secured to the strap as by stitching. The other end portion of the strap 20 is wound about the other of the bend connections 18a and the part of the extension 18 forwardly of the male fastener 23, the other end of the strap being provided with a female fastener 24 which detachably receives the male fastener 23.

It is to be noted that the strap 20, when the pillow is in the position for supporting the body of a patient in a reclining position or the position of FIGURES 1 and 3, by the weight imposed thereon by a patient, maintains the pillow in the aforesaid position. When the pillow is in the position for supporting the body of a patient in a reposing position or the position of FIGURE 2, the strap 26 serves as a backing for a soft pillow or cushion.

In use of the above-described pillow, the position of the pillow shown in FIGURES l and 3 is that occupied by a patient when sitting up in bed in a reclining position. In this position, the short legs 11 and extensions 18 rest upon a supporting surface or bed with the long legs 12 extending in a sloping-vertical direction and the apron 16 extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs 12 to the short legs 11. To maintain the pillow in the aforesaid position, the strap 20 is tucked underneath the upper portion of the legs of the patient and the end portion 22 wound about the part of the extension 18 forwardly of the male fastener 23 and the adjacent bend connection 18a and secured to the strap by interengaging the female fastener 24 with the male fastener 23. In this position of the pillow, the patient may rest his arms upon the arm rests 25.

The position of the pillow shown in FIGURE 2 is that occupied by a patient when the patient is in a bed in a reposing position. In this position, the long legs 12 rest upon a supporting surface or bed with the short legs 11 extending in a sloping-vertical direction, and the apron 16 extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the short legs 11 to the long legs 12, the extensions 18 and the arm rests 25 being above the top of the apron 16 and free of interference with the patients head when reposing upon the apron 16. In this reposing position the strap 28 serves as a backing for a soft pillow or cushion.

Reverting to the form of FIGURES 6 and 8, this comprises the same unitary frame construction as above described in connection with the form of FIGURES 1 to 5, and differs over the latter form in that the short legs 11 of each frame 10 is crooked to a like extent, as at 30, to thereby divide the leg into a first portion 31 and a second portion 32.

In use of the form of the pillow of FIGURES 6 to 8, the position of the pillow shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 is that occupied by a patient when sitting up in a bed in a reclining position. In this position, the second portions 32 of the short legs 11 and the extensions 18 rest upon a supporting surface or a bed with the long legs extending in a sloping-vertical direction and the apron 16 extendnig in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs 12 to the short legs 11. To maintain the pillow in the above-set-forth position, the strap 20 is tucked underneath the upper portions of the legs of the patient and the end portion 22 of the strap 20 wound about the part of the extension 18 forwardly of the male fastener 23 and the adjacent bend connection 18a and secured to the strap by interengaging the female fastener 24 with the male fastener 23. In this position of the pillow the patient may rest his arms upon the arm rests 25.

The position of the pillow shown in FIGURE 8 is that occupied when a patient is sitting up in a bed in a reclining position, but at an angle different to that of the position of the pillow in FIGURES 6 and 7. In this position, the first portions 31 of the short legs 11 rest upon a supporting surface or bed with the long legs 12 extending in a sloping-vertical direction and the apron 16 extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs 12 to the short legs 11. To maintain the pillow in the aforesaid position, the strap 20 is tucked underneath the upper portions of the legs of the patient, and the end portion 22 of the strap 20 wound about the part of the extension 18 forwardly of the male fastener 23 and the adjacent bend connection 18a and secured to the strap by interengaging the female fastener 24 with the male fastener 23. In this position, the patient may also rest his arms upon the arm rests 25.

The pillow construction of this invention may be employed admirably with patients confined or not confined to bed, and such construction may be shifted between one of two reclining positions or to a reposing position with ease and facility. In addition, the positioning of the pillow construction of this invention may be effected without unduly disturbing a bed-confined patient.

It has been found that the form of the pillow construction of FIGURES 6 to 8 is especially suitable for therapeutic purposes. To employ this construction for this purpose it is placed upon a bed in either of one of the reclining positions in which the portions 31 or 32 rest upon the bed, and the strap 20 tucked underneath the upper portions of the legs of a patient, and its end portions 21 and 22 attached to the extension 18 and adjacent bend portions 18a of the arm rests 25.

An end portion of another strap similar to strap 20 is then fastened to the cross-over point of the second pair of crossbars and the other end portion is pulled straight under the buttocks of the patient, then up between the legs of the patient and crossed over one leg of the patient at a point of the thigh, the free end part of such other end portion being held tightly by the patient. The purpose of this other strap is to maintain the pillow against the back of the patient and permit the patient to rock toand-from the two reclining positions of FIGURES 7 and 8.

This rocking action by the patient stretches the spine and muscles of the abdomen of the patient. This stretching of the spine relieves pressure on the disks, thus aiding in relief from lame back ailments, such as sciatica and other spinal ailments. In addition, this stretching of the muscles of the abdomen by the rocking of the pillow, strengthens and tightens those muscles, reducing the size of the pouch of the lower abdomen and consequent reduction of the waistline. The exercising of the abdomen muscles aids in peristaltic action, massages the colon and small intestines, thereby aiding digestion and elimination.

What is claimed is:

1. A convalescent pillow comprising a unitary frame construction including a pair of open frames, each frame being of right-angled triangle configuration and consisting of a short leg, a long leg, and a hypotenuse leg, the short leg of each frame being crooked to a like extent to thereby divide said leg into a first portion and a second portion, said frames being arranged in lateral-spaced relation so that the short, long, and hypotenuse legs are in alignment with each other, bracing extending between the short and long legs of said pair of frames and attached thereto for holding the frames in lateral-spaced relation, and an apron extending between and covering the entire length of the hypotenuse legs, an extension projecting longitudinally from the second portion of each of the short legs of said frames, an arm rest on each of said extensions, said construction being positionable so that the first or second portions of the short legs rest upon a supporting surface with the long legs extending in a sloping-vertical direction and the apron extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs to the short legs to thereby serve to support the body of a patient in a reclining position in either of two different angles and rest his arms uponthe arm rests when in said reclining position, and strap means extending between and secured to said extensions and arm rests to thereby engage the underneath upper portions of the legs of a patient when his body is supported in a reclining position in either of the two different angles.

2. A convalescent pillow comprising a unitary frame construction including a pair of open frames, each frame being of right-angled triangle configuration and consisting of a short leg, a long leg, and a hypotenuse leg, the short leg of each frame being crooked to a like extent to thereby divide said leg into a first portion and a second portion, the frames being arranged in lateral-spaced relation so that the short, long, and hypotenuse legs are in alignment with each other, bracing extending between the short and long legs of said pair of frames and attached thereto for holding the frames in lateral-spaced relation, and an apron extending between and covering the entire length of the hypotenuse legs, an extension projecting longitudinally from the second portion of each of the short legs of said frame, an arm rest comprising an inverted U-shaped member having the free ends of its legs secured to the adjacent extension and having the bight spaced above and parallel to the adjacent extension, said construction being positionable so that the first or second portions of the short legs rest upon a supporting surface with the long legs extending in a sloping-vertical direction and the apron extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs to the short legs to thereby serve to support the body of a patient in a reclining position in either of two different angles and rest his arms upon the arm rests while in said reclining position, and strap means extending between and secured to said arm rests and the adjacent extensions to thereby engage the underneath upper portions of the legs of a patient when his body is supported in a reclining position in either of the two different angles.

3. A convalescent pillow comprising a unitary frame construction including a pair of open frames, each frame being of right-angled triangle configuration and consisting of a short leg, a long leg, and a hypotenuse leg, the short leg of each frame being crooked to a like extent to thereby divide said leg into a first portion and a second portion, the frames being arranged in lateral-spaced relation so that the short, long, and hypotenuse legs are in alignment with each other, bracing extending between the short and long legs of said pair of frames and attached thereto for holding the frames in lateral-spaced relation, and an apron extending between and covering the entire length of the hypotenuse legs, an extension projecting longitudinally from the second portion of each of the short legs of said frames, an arm rest comprising an inverted U-shaped member having the free end of the forward leg secured to the adjacent extension by a bend connection and the free end of the rearward leg secured to said extension and having the bight spaced above and parallel to the adjacent extension, said construction being positionable so that the first or second portions of the short legs rest upon a supporting surface with the long legs extending in a sloping-vertical direction and the apron extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs to the short legs to thereby serve to support the body of a patient in a reclining position in either of two different angles and rest his arms upon the arm rests while in said reclining position, a stop on the part of one of the extensions between the bend connection of the forward leg and the securement of the rearward leg of the adjacent U-shaped member, a male fastener on the part of the other of the extensions between the bend connection of the forward leg and the securement of the rearward leg of the adjacent U-shaped member, and a strap having one end portion wound about the part of one of the extensions between the bend connection of the forward leg of the adjacent U-shaped member and said stop and having the other end portion wound about the part of the other of the extensions between the bend connection of the forward leg of the adjacent U- shaped member, the other end of said strap being provided with a female fastener releasably receiving the male fastener on the part of the other of the extensions.

4. A therapeutic device comprising a unitary frame construction including a pair of open frames, each frame being of right-angled triangle configuration and consisting of a short leg, a long leg, and a hypotenuse leg, the short leg of each frame being crooked to a like extent to thereby divide said leg into a first portion and a second portion, the frames being arranged in lateral-spaced relation so that the short, long, and hypotenuse legs are in alignment with each other, bracing extending between the short and long legs of said pair of frames and attached thereto for holding the frames in lateral-spaced relation, and an apron extending between and covering the entire length of the hypotenuse legs, an extension projecting longitudinally from the second portion of each of the short legs of said frames, an arm rest comprising an inverted U-shaped member having the free ends of its legs secured to the adjacent extension and having the bight spaced above and parallel to the adjacent extension, said construction being positionable so that the first or second portions of the short legs rest upon a supporting surface with the long legs extending in a sloping-vertical direc tion and the apron extending in a downwardly-sloping direction from the long legs to the short legs to thereby serve to support the body of a patient in a reclining position in either of two different angles and rest his arms upon the arm rests while in said reclining position, a strap extending between and secured to said arm rests and the adjacent extensions to thereby engage the underneath upper portions of the legs of a patient when his body is supported in a reclining position in either of the two different angles, and another strap having one end portion attached to the mid-portion of the bracing between said short legs and having the other end portion adapted to be pulled straight upwardly from the buttocks of the patient through the legs and held tightly by the patient at a point adjacent the thigh, said construction upon being rocked by the patient between the two reclining positions effecting beneficial exercise for the patient.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,105,336 Smith Jan. 11, 1938 2,803,022 Wynkoop Aug. 20, 1957 2,856,614 OLeary Oct. 21, 1958 

1. A CONVALESCENT PILLOW COMPRISING A UNITARY FRAME CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPEN FRAMES, EACH FRAME BEING OF RIGHT-ANGLED TRIANGLE CONFIGURATION AND CONSISTING OF A SHORT LEG, A LONG LEG, AND A HYPOTENUSE LEG, THE SHORT LEG OF EACH FRAME BEING CROOKED TO A LIKE EXTENT TO THEREBY DIVIDE SAID LEG INTO A FIRST PORTION AND A SECOND PORTION, SAID FRAMES BEING ARRANGED IN LATERAL-SPACED RELATION SO THAT THE SHORT, LONG, AND HYPOTENUSE LEGS ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER, BRACING EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SHORT AND LONG LEGS OF SAID PAIR OF FRAMES AND ATTACHED THERETO FOR HOLDING THE FRAMES IN LATERAL-SPACED RELATION, AND AN APRON EXTENDING BETWEEN AND COVERING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE HYPOTENUSE LEGS, AN EXTENSION PROJECTING LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE SECOND PORTION OF EACH OF THE SHORT LEGS OF SAID FRAMES, AN ARM REST ON EACH OF SAID EXTENSIONS, SAID CONSTRUCTION BEING POSITIONABLE SO THAT THE FIRST OR SECOND PORTIONS OF THE SHORT LEGS REST UPON A SUPPORTING SURFACE WITH THE LONG LEGS EXTENDING IN A SLOPING-VERTICAL DIRECTION AND THE APRON EXTENDING IN A DOWNWARDLY-SLOPING DIRECTION FROM THE LONG LEGS TO THE SHORT LEGS TO THEREBY SERVE TO SUPPORT THE BODY OF A PATIENT IN A RECLINING POSITION IN EITHER OF TWO DIFFERENT ANGLES AND REST HIS ARMS UPON THE ARM RESTS WHEN IN SAID RECLINING POSITION, AND STRAP MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO SAID EXTENSIONS AND ARM RESTS TO THEREBY ENGAGE THE UNDERNEATH UPPER PORTIONS OF THE LEGS OF A PATIENT WHEN HIS BODY IS SUPPORTED IN A RECLINING POSITION IN EITHER OF THE TWO DIFFERENT ANGLES. 